Rival student groups hold rallies in Tehran: report

TEHRAN (Reuters) - Pro-government and pro-opposition students staged rival rallies at a Tehran university on Tuesday, the official IRNA news agency reported, in a sign of continuing tension after clashes during protests last week.

IRNA said about 700 pro-government students gathered at a Tehran branch of Azad University protesting against an "insult" to the Islamic Republic's late founder, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, during opposition demonstrations on December 7.

They chanted slogans, including "Death to America."

About 100 pro-reform students gathered nearby, chanting slogans against the opposing side, IRNA said. There were no immediate reports on the rallies on reformist websites.

Tension has increased in Iran since student backers of opposition leader Mirhossein Mousavi clashed last week in Tehran with police armed with batons and tear gas in the largest such protests over June's disputed presidential election in months.

State television has broadcast footage of what it said were opposition supporters tearing up and trampling on a picture of Khomeini during the rallies, when pro-reform students sought to renew their challenge to hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

The opposition has denied involvement in the reported incident, suggesting the authorities were planning to use it as a pretext for a renewed post-election crackdown on dissent.

Security forces have repeatedly warned that any "illegal" gathering would be firmly confronted.